How To Prepare a Resolution

Resolutions are the vehicles for expressing (1) a request for action on a matter of concern; (2) a message to a body regarding policy and/or actions; and (3) the sense of the group in recognizing contributions of an individual or group to the body/causes/concerns that are reason(s) for the body's existence.

To prepare a resolution, first identify the topic--for example, secret money in American elections--and the position of the group on the topic. Those elements become the title of the resolution, such as "Opposing Secret Money in the U.S. Elections." In the case of recognizing the contributions of an individual or group, the title would include the name of the individual/group and go something like, "Recognizing 75 Years of Service to the NCDW by Jane Doe/Designated Democratic Women." The form of the title can vary. Some prefer "In Support of" or "In Opposition to," each of which has a more traditional sound but does not add to the meaning. The purpose of the title is to unambiguously identify the topic.

Example:

IN OPPOSITION TO SECRET MONEY IN U.S. ELECTIONS

Once the topic is identified, supporting information for the group's position in the resolution becomes the content for the WHEREAS clause(s).

Example:

WHEREAS, unidentified sources of money in politics raise questions in the minds of voters about the loyalties of candidates receiving that money; andWHEREAS, public trust in the political process requires an open, transparent system of paying for political campaigns; andWHEREAS, the 5-4 Supreme Court decision in Citizens United vs Federal Election Commission allows the interests of unidentified foreign and domestic corporations and organizations to be heard above the voices of citizens in our democratic processes;

The action being sought appears in the RESOLVED clauses.

Example:

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Democratic Women of North Carolina strongly urge the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate to restore transparency to U.S. elections by requiring disclosure of the sources of all spending in campaigns for elective office through legislation; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that upon passage of this resolution by the Annual Convention of the DWNC, it will be forwarded to the North Carolina Democratic Party for consideration by the NCDP and will also be sent to all members of North Carolina's Congressional Deligation.

Formatting will affect how the resolution looks in print. For the DWNC, the recommended format uses all capital letters for the WHEREAS introducing each supporting clause. The same is true for the RESOLVED clauses. To create a bridge between the last WHEREAS and the first RESOLVED sections of a resolution, use "...therefore be it..." By double spacing between the clauses, the seperate elements of the resolution are easy to follow.